How safe is the MMR vaccine?

In the tiny Pacific Nation of Samoa, on Friday 6 July 2018, two babies died shortly after receiving MMR vaccine. How could this happen? Lots of discussion is going around about this tragedy, and even more questions. Here are some responses to the things I have been asked this week summarised under the headings below. About MMR vaccines How safe are MMR vaccines? The risks of measles mumps and rubella People who should forego the MMR vaccine How can vaccination with MMR go wrong? What happened in Samoa? About MMR vaccines MMR vaccines were originally developed in the 1970s to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella, in one convenient jab. However, there is a long history of the development and use of measles-containing these vaccines that extends back to the 1960s. The measles-containing vaccines are called live vaccines. This is because the viruses in the formulation are viable, they can replicate. The viruses need to replicate to get the body to make an immune response that will be protective against disease but they have also been weakened so they are unable to cause disease. These vacciens are extremely effective with measles …

How safe is the MMR vaccine?
Source: Virology News